Insulated conductor device



Sept. 28, 1965 fig.

P. BRUCKNER ETAL 3,209,305

INSULATED CONDUCTOR DEVICE Filed Dec. 14. 1961 A T TOR/V5 y United States Patent Office Patented Sept. 28, 1965 3,209,305 INSULATED CONDUCTOR DEVICE Paul Bruckner, Rodenwaldstrasse 8, Hosel, near Ratingen, Germany; Erwin Marx, Am Hohen Felde 7, Braunschweig-Gliemarode, Germany; Adil Erk, Liebermannstrasse 17, Braunschweig, Germany; and Alfred Hartig, Flemingweg 5, Essen, Sud, Germany Filed Dec. 14, 1961, Ser. No. 159,259 Claims priority, application Germany, Dec. 15, 1960, C 22,963 8 Claims. (Cl. 339-61) This invention relates to electrical conductors and, more particularly, to detachably connected components thereof which are embedded in cast resin and provided with a surrounding insulating material.

It is well-known in the prior art to detachably join individual components embedded in cast resin for use in electrical distributing and switching devices. In the insulating material of such previous constructions there are provided butt-joints between the individual components. In order to render these joints electrically puncture-proof, they have thus far merely been filled with a particular joint insulating material such as grease or oil. This, however, makes it diflicult to provide continuously for the electric stability desired at high voltages while simultaneously maintaining operating expenses at an economic level.

Acordingly, the principal object of the invention is the provision or" electrical conductors embedded in cast resin which are surrounded by insulation material.

Another object of the invention is to provide the insulation material for such conductors of a material that will deform under pressure.

Still another object of the invention is to provide expansible and compressible electric conductors in the deformable insulation material.

A still further object of the invention is to arrange the end faces of the insulative carriers of said electric conductors in longitudinal spaced relation and provide means for introducing a supplemental pressurized fluid-type insulation to the area between the oifstanding faces thereof.

The details of the invention, as well as additional objects and advantages, will be clearly understood with reference to a preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings employing similar reference numerals to identify the same elements in each of the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a pair of conductors in assembled relation illustrating the preferred form of the invention, and

FIG. 1a is a sectional view of a pair of conductors in assembled relation showing a different type of compressible spirally wound structure.

With reference to FIG. 1 there is illustrated a hightension insulated conductor device wherein individual components are longitudinally connected together and includes cast resin insulation shown at 1 and 2 which comprise frusto-conical end surfaces 5 and 6 and onto which the silicone rubber insulating sleeves 7 and 8 may be vulcanized. The insulating sleeves 7 and 8 are provided with axially extending expansible and compressible electric conductors 9 and 10. The inner end portions of conductors 9 and 10 are suitably welded or soldered to the tubular conductors 3 and 4 which are embedded in the cast resin insulation. The peripherally embossed conductors 9 and 10 are of more or less bellows-like form thus providing, as shown, in longitudinal section, an undulatory or wavy-shaped body. It is contemplated that these conductors also could be of a hollow spiral-like configuration. The free ends 11 and 12 of conductors 9 and 10 carry a good electrical contact-making material so that a positive contact is obtained when the conductor ends are brought into assembled relation. It is also to be understood that stranded wires or spirally-wound structures which also have the ability to contact: and expand can be substituted for the deformable conductors 9 and 10. The ends of the insulation sleeves 7 and 8 have conveX surfaces 13 and 14 which are deflected radially under pressure and arranged to provide a butt-joi1nt when the conductors are in longitudinal alignment. These surfaces are thus formed in such a manner that the compression of adjoining components results in an increase of the contacting surface between the pressure surfaces 13 and 14. The contacting surface increases outwardly from the conductors and thus prevents any air inclusion from taking place in the jointed area. The insulating bodies 7 and 8 are urged together by means of assembly bolts 15 and 16, the constricting forces of which are imparted through apertured tensioning flanges 17 and 18 which are integral with rings 19 and 20 that are suitably secured, in recesses, to the rubber insulation, as shown. Between the annular tensioning flange 18 and nuts 21 there are interposed suitable springs 23 and 24.

Further, as represented by the fragmentary lines in FIG. 1, additional tensioning flanges 25 and 2-6 may be used where necessary. These additional tensioning flanges are provided on the cast resin insulation 1 and 2 with rings 27 and 28 suitably secured in recesses as mentioned hereinbefore and as illustrated. The tensioning flanges 25 and 26 are also provided with apertures to receive suitable bolts as previously described. The apertures of the second set of flanges 25 and 26 are radially displaced with respect to the apertures of the first set of flanges 17 and 18, which are provided with the bolts 15 and 16, so that further tensioning bolts (not shown) can be applied between the flanges 17 and 25, if desirable, as w ll as between the flanges 18 and 26. Thus, it is to be understood that during assembly of the electrical conductors preparatory for use, and prior to the inclusion of bolts 15 and 16, to make the necessary electrical contact between the connectors 11 and 12, the silicone rubber insulation sleeve 7 may be pre-tensioned together with its conductor 9 relative to the cast resin insulation 1 by bolting flanges 18 and 26 together. Since both electrical conductors are substantially identical in construction, the assembly of only one of them has been described. Subsequent to the assembly operation described immediately above, the tensioning bolts extending between flanges 18 and 26 may be removed. Thereafter, tensioning bolts 15 and =16 are installed in order to produce a suitable compression in accordance with the condition desired. It may be requisite under some conditions, after a suitable electrical contact is made between the axially aligned conductors and the bolts 15 and 16 assembled to the flanges 17 and 18, to also make provision for additional tensioning by inserting a bolt of suflicient length to extend between an aperture on the flange 18 to a suitable aperture in the flange 26. It is to be understood, of course, that in this instance bolts will extend not only from flanges 18 to 26, but from flanges 17 and 25, as well. This additional tensioning between the electrical conductors can also be accomplished in other ways, for example, the circumferential area of flanges 17 and 18 may be reduced and bolts of adequate length to span the distance between flanges 25 and 26 may be included in the assembly. The latter tensioning arrangement may be advisable in constructions where the insulative bodies 7 and 8 are substantially longer than usual and. is required in order to maintain a sufiicient compressibility and expansibility beyond that normally necessary, during an average assembly operation.

In accordance with the invention it is also possible to insert into the cast resin insulation bodies 1 and 2 prefabricated insulating inserts consisting of deformable and non-deformable parts. Such an embodiment can be very advantageous if there is a possibility that the components are to be shifted away from each other before one of them is removed. Further, such an embodiment will eliminate the necessity of deformable conductors. Moreover, conductive inserts for controlling the electric field distribution can be easily applied as will be hereinafter pointed out.

Although two. embodiments of the invention have been depicted and described, it will be apparent that these embodiments are illustrative in nature and that a number of modifications in the apparatus and variations in its end use may be etfected without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

*1. In a high tension insulated conductor device wherein individual components are connected together the combination comprising, first hollow elongated insulation means, substantially rigid terminals embedded in said means, relatively aligned hollow deformable second insulation means positioned in opposed relation to one another and in abutting relation therewith, a compressible corrugated tubular terminal means embedded in the hollow deformable means and resilient means to exert constant pressure on said tubular terminal means with respect to an abutting terminal to maintain said abutting terminals in assembled circuit-making relation.

2. A conductor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pressure-exerting means embrace the exterior of said second insulation means.

3. A conductor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second insulation means comprise bodies having different dielectric constants.

4. A conductor as claimed in claim 1, wherein complemental connector means are carried at the free end of each of said compressible terminal means.

'5. A conductor as claimed in claim -1, wherein the abutting surfaces of the deformable insulation means are convex.

6. A conductor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second insulation means have slip-type interengaging mating surfaces.

7. A conductor as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sliptype mating surfaces include complemental conical areas.

8. In a high tension insulated conductor device wherein individual components are connected together the combination comprising, first hollow elongated insulation means, substantially rigid terminals embedded in said means, relatively aligned hollow deformable second insulation means positioned in opposed relation to one another and in abutting relation therewith, a compressible spirally wound terminal means embedded in the hollow deformable means and resilient means to exert constant pressure on said spirally wound terminal means with respect to an abutting terminal to maintain said abutting terminals in assembled circuit-making relation.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,000,716 5/35 Polk. 2,421,155 5/47 Miller et al. 33949 X 2,460,304 2/49 McGee et al. 339 2,549,647 4/51 Turenne 174-22 X 2,550,112 4/51 Fields 174l53 2,621,875 12/52 Darling 33916 X 2,703,870 3/55 Minto 33994 2,725,416 11/55 Heupgen et a1. 17413 2,755,449 7/56 Anderson. 2,827,508 3/58 Roehmann 174-73 2,857,557 10/58 Imhof. 2,925,459 2/60 Priaroggia 174-73 2,967,899 1/61 Priaroggia 17473 X 3,106,599 10/63 Leitner et al. 17412 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,214,068 11/59 France.

JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 209,505 September 28 1965 Paul Bruckner et a1.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 1, line 28, for "Acordingly" read Accordingly column 2, line 4, for "contact" read contract Signed and sealed this 17th day of May 1966.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. IN A HIGH TENSION INSULATED CONDUCTOR DEVICE WHEREIN INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS ARE CONNECTED TOGETHER THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, FIRST HOLLOW ELONGATED INSULATION MEANS, SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID TERMINALS EMBEDDED IN SAID MEANS, RELTIVELY ALIGNED HOLLOW OF DEFORMABLE SECOND INSULATION MEANS POSITIONED IN OPPOSED RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER AND IN ABUTTING RELATION THEREWITH, A COMPRESSIBLE CORRUGATED TUBULAR TERMINAL MEANS EMBEDDED IN THE HOLLOW DEFORMABLE MEANS AND RESILIENT MEANS TO EXERT CONSTANT PRESSURE ON SAID TUBULAR TERMINAL MEANS WITH RESPECT TO AN ABUTTING TERMINAL TO MAINTAIN SAID ABUTTING TERMIONALS IN ASSEMBLED CITCUIT-MAKING RELATION. 